Habits
by Pen Sil
Summary: There are good reasons why Gray had to buy Juvia that blasted corset, but there is no way in hell he'll ever state them out loud.


So for once I thought I'd try to throw the AN up here instead of as a post script.

I saw a post on tumblr the other day suggesting that Gray got Juvia the corset because he didn't like other people looking at her and i thought the basic idea was good but that the reasoning was a bit... OOC. But I liked it a lot so I used it anyway. Be warned though, since I have a headcanon that states that there is no effin' way in hell that Gray isn't affected by Juvia there will be pervy thoughts in this. I tried to keep it to a minimum tho because I'm still kinda uncomfortable writing stuff that's too... descriptive (let's call it descriptive).

Also! I'm proud to say that I've gotten my hands on a wonderfully strict beta who is helping the quality of my new stuff improve A LOT! You have her to thank for the last part. And if you like GokuHaru from Katekyo hitman Reborn! have a look at her page! She's written quite a few stories for them - and I guarantee they're amusing! Her username is PAK so go have a look!

Anyway. I hope you enjoy!

\- Pen

* * *

 **Habits**

* * *

There's something rather flattering about somebody picking up your habits. Especially when it's not on purpose but comes as a natural result of spending days and months together.

Or so Gray would have liked to think until Juvia starts to take off her clothes at random intervals.

He knows she cares about him - that much is obvious from miles away and he honestly never needed Erza to point anything out for him - but he's convinced she goes too far to show him most days. Of course, the cakes and the muffler are kind of endearing, in her own insane way, but the body pillow took it way too far.

That she picks up his habit of stripping unconsciously is a whole new level of trying too hard, and he knows the first time it happens that he has to confront her about it.

It's safe to say, however, that it wasn't something he expected to happen, and he can admit - at least to himself (he's not Natsu) - that he handled it with less grace than he's proud of.

Gray remembers walking around the house one morning and suddenly he's face to face with a half naked Juvia, who has obviously just come back from some chore or other. She's humming to herself completely oblivious to the fact that she's only in her bra and her long skirt which, let's be fair, covers very little leg.

The first thought that crosses his mind at the sight is 'well, at least she's wearing a bra' before he feels a certain part of his anatomy standing at attention. He backtracks around the corner and covers his red face with a hand, trying to keep his cool.

Okay. Calm down. You're not a bloody moron with no control, he scolds himself though there's a part of him, and that part has been growing stronger every day for a long time, that very much wants to give in to her advances right this second.

He rubs his brow and closes his eyes to concentrate on a spell that will cool his whole body down.

The idea is a mistake. The picture of Juvia is burnt onto the inside of his eyelids. It's a picture of sunlight falling on blue hair so it gleams like the surface of the ocean, a picture of a suddenly visibly thin waist and wide hips, and it's a picture of a dark blue laced bra covering only just enough and contrasting beautifully with her pale, flawless skin.

Everything about her is soft and he realises belatedly that his mouth is watering at indecent thoughts.

He swears under his breath and pushes away from the wall.

With a check that he's at least decently dressed himself he glances around the corner. He avoids looking at Juvia and instead searches the ground where he quickly locates her t-shirt and coat.

She turns to face him just as he's picking them both up, the brightest most blinding smile on her face - he's still not convinced he deserves to be the source of that kind of happiness for anyone. "Gray-sama! Good morning! Did you sleep well?"

He forces himself to not look down and replies distractedly "I slept fine." He takes a deep breath, preparing himself for her clumsy flirting "Juvia. Listen-"

"Ah. That reminds me," she interrupts bright as ever. "I checked our accounts today and we need to -"

Gray doesn't mean to be rude, but he has to stop her talking. He has to get her properly dressed or he thinks he might do something incredibly stupid. So he places two big hands on each of her shoulders, ignores the feel of her perfect, smooth, wonderful skin beneath his rough hands and says intently "Juvia."

She blinks and looks up at him, dark blue eyes endless. "Yes, Gray-sama?"

"Look. I know you're -" he falters, trying to find words that won't force him to commit to anything. "I know you have this … eccentric idea…"

Juvia tilts her head, looking up at him in confusion and she's just about the cutest thing he's ever seen. "Gray-sama, I'm pretty sure my interest in our economy is fairly norm-"

He groans and pushes her clothes into her chest. "Just-! Don't start throwing your clothes around, okay?" he says, getting to the point without being delicate. He knows Cana and Erza would probably fry him alive if they heard he'd treated her that callously, but they're not here and they're living together and she keeps crawling into his bed.

It takes a moment for her to comprehend what he's implying and what he's holding. When she does the dawning horror on her face, and the blush that follows, tells him exactly what she's probably too mortified to express in words; that she didn't mean to pick up his habit and that she's incredibly embarrassed about being called out on it without even having realised herself.

Oh no.

He's not quite sure how he makes it out of there without messing up anymore than he's already done. He isn't quite sure how he lives through the next two and a half week either. At least she's more aware of the habit than he is, and she manages to control it better than he ever has. Although she's possibly the type to care more than he ever did - not that it doesn't bring him heaps of trouble and doesn't embarrass the hell out of him most times he does it (though there's something about having a beautiful woman drooling over him that makes this bad habit of his a whole lot more enjoyable. He'll lose to Natsu before he ever admits to that).

The problem is that she mostly starts taking off her clothes when she's distracted - much like Gray and Lyon - which means she does it mostly during practice, chores, or missions. If she does it during chores it's the least of his worries, since usually she seems to notice it on her own and deals with the issue before he has to remind her. The practice sessions are only embarrassing for the both of them, which is something he can deal with. It's when she starts to strip during dangerous missions that there's a problem, and it's only after an especially close call that Gray decides to take action so he can keep his sanity.

They're dealing with a series of annoying goblins that have been terrorizing a village not too far from Margaret Town. It's a request from Lyon, who apparently thinks it's beneath him to deal with 'small cute fur-balls', a conversation the memory of which still makes Gray grit his teeth and wish he'd punched the bastard in the face. What they found weren't even normal goblins, but oversized and impossibly violent goblins that were a little too eager to hurt others.

The problem isn't their size or their temperament, but the numbers, Gray reflects as he throws an iced hammer at another and knocks it out.

Juvia is somewhere behind him, drowning a good few in her water lock. He knows without having to look when a big brute jumps to attack her and because she's busy with the others Gray summons a spear, twists on his heel and throws the weapon at the goblin, hitting it right between the eyes.

She smiles at him over her shoulder. "Thanks!" she yells over the noise of the fray and lets the goblins that kept her attention go so she can concentrate properly again.

Gray can see she's getting tired, but soon has to turn his gaze away. They're going at a nice pace, having almost dealt with every one of them when what is obviously the mother makes her appearance, infuriated by the fact that her young have been harmed.

Gray isn't quite sure what happens next if he's honest. He remembers charging at the large beast, summoning a giant hammer as a weapon, and just glancing at Juvia who's getting ready to back him up, only she's in her skirt and her bra again - her jacket is missing - and the next thing he knows he's off course, barreling straight into a large wooden trunk that probably takes several years off his lifespan and points he can't afford to lose from his IQ.

For a moment the world is black and all he can see are miniature Juvias floating around with wings sticking out of their backs, looking worried. They're all saying "Gray-sama, are you okay?".

The next moment his weapon crashes into the trunk with enough force to shatter itself and tip the damn tree so his world turns upside down. It's the only thing that saves him from a swipe of the mother goblin's large clawed paw.

Juvia is by his side in a second, her breasts hanging dangerously close to his face as she hovers above him, looking even more worried than his hallucination a moment before. "Gray-sama, are you okay?"

It's probably the repeat that annoys him the most, and his own stubbornness. "Enough," he snaps, and pushes her aside so he can get up. He pulls off his own coat and throws it over her head so she's covered.

With a fast snap of his finger and a dramatic movement with his hand - and a grin he doesn't exactly know the origin of - he's frozen the entire clearing.

It's anti-climatic to say the least, but he's so done with the whole situation.

When he turns back to Juvia she's staring at him with stars in her eyes and he has no idea why. He's suddenly annoyed again and before she can start praising him he's grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her off towards Margaret town. "Come on," he half-snaps.

"Where are we going?" she asks, curiosity laced through every syllable.

He considers his words for a long moment, trudging on in silence and trying to keep his mind focused on the annoyance he feels. If Natsu or Lyon had been there he'd never have been able to live the blunder down.

"To get the reward so I can get you something you'll have trouble taking off in the heat of the moment."

* * *

The client is more than happy to give them their reward, though a little affronted by Gray's curt manner and need to hurry out the door as soon as they have the money in hand.

It's honestly wonderful to not be working with Natsu, because while there's something satisfying about smashing things up once in awhile (and bashing the idiot dragonslayer's head in while he's at it) it's so much better to be getting the whole reward.

"Uh, Gray-sama?" Juvia calls as they're making their way down main street.

He grunts to make sure she knows he's heard her, but keeps his eyes forwards. He's pretty sure he saw a lingerie shop around here somewhere.

"Wasn't that - just a bit rude?"

Gray rolls his eyes. "He'll get over it, I'm sure. And it's Lamia that'll get the hot air if he decides to complain anyway -" he grins at the thought of Lyon taking the blame for this. "There it is," he says, when he spots the small shop.

The grin falls a little at the awkwardness he's going to have to go through, but he steels his nerves and drags her through the door.

Juvia stops immediately inside, her dark eyes growing wide and then there's that moment when he knows she's imagining all kinds of inappropriate things. Before she can attack him with strange questions about Marvis knows what he's found a clerk.

"Excuse me," he says, trying for polite. "Do you sell corsets in here?"

The clerk, a young woman a little older than both he and Juvia considers his words for a moment too long - a moment he spends wondering if this really was the right shop to enter (though he was sure Lucy's corset was lying in her lingerie shelf the last time Erza rummaged through it). When she finally nods Gray lets out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding.

"Do you have something that'll fit her?" he asks, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at Juvia, who's looking at some rather interesting bras. She's still wearing his coat. She's closed it at some point, so even if it looks oversized she isn't showing any skin for once.

The thought occurs to Gray that that is completely wrong and he has the strangest urge to walk over there and take his coat back.

"Yes, I believe we do," the clerk says, effectively cutting through his muddled thoughts.

"Great."

Gray shakes his head and follows the clerk to a part of the store further back. He's relieved when he sees that the corsets are completely decent, something you could wear like normal clothes, and he wonders for a brief moment what Lucy gets up to with all those strange articles of clothing she owns. Not like Erza is any better, but he's still a little too afraid of her to question what she wears.

"Juvia," he calls over his head and she's at his side in a second.

"What is it, Gray-sama?" she asks, eyes still starry with ideas.

"Choose one," he says, gesturing to the corsets and feeling his cheeks colour a little.

Juvia turns to look at the articles of clothing and her eyes widen. "My, Gray-sama! I had no idea you were into -"

"I'm not," he grinds out. He can feel the clerk's eyes on him and he just knows she's getting the wrong idea. "Just pick one."

Juvia just smiles and picks a green and black one out. He's not completely sure why but lately she's been into green and not just different shades of blue. "Be right back," she says cheerfully.

As she vanishes behind the curtain Gray turns away from the dressing room, deciding that any distance he can lay between himself and Juvia right now is probably for the best. As well as any distance he can lay between himself and the clerk - she has that same expression Lucy has when she's coming up with ridiculous ideas and it's beyond awkward for him. It hits him, as he turns around, that this is a lingerie store and there are way too many curious pieces of clothing - some of them, he's convinced, shouldn't labelled clothing at all - that has his mind going in the wrong direction. He makes a quick decision and says to the clerk "tell me when she's done, okay?" before stepping out for fresh air.

Outside the sky is turning purple. Pink clouds are floating lazily above him and he wishes, not for the first time, that he had a pack of cigarettes in his pocket; a problem with always dropping your clothes is that you can never keep track of where those end up.

Gray rubs his forehead and winces when he feels a bruise starting to form there. He hopes the corset will help her stay relatively clothed. There's the problem with the skirt, but so far she hasn't really gotten far enough into the habit that that has become an issue yet. He really hopes it doesn't because then he isn't sure what he's going to do or how to solve it.

It's not that he wants to take away her habit; she's free to do what she wishes with her clothes. He admits it'd bother him if someone like Lyon saw her in that state of undress but he's not jealous - she isn't his to begin with, no matter what she says and he doesn't want to own her in the first place. If he's completely honest with himself he can admit that it's a rather nice view to have, even if he feels like a pervert for thinking it, it's just that he can't get distracted on a job like he did today. It's too dangerous.

"Gray-sama, what are you doing out here?" Juvia asks. She's only opened the door far enough to stick her head out and her cheeks are a little flustered.

For some reason Gray has to force back a fond smile. It doesn't even annoy him anymore that he's come to find her adorable at times. "Waiting for you. Did it fit?"

Juvia grins and nods, and he follows her inside again.

She's already wearing the corset and he has to admit that it fits her perfectly. He hadn't really thought about it before but her usual clothing doesn't compliment her slim waist or wide hips very well, and he honestly hasn't seen anything compliment her chest-area that well since-

"What does Gray-sama think?"

Juvia's words bring him back to himself and he realises he's staring - he also realises that she knows (she's smiling that little winning smile she uses when she knows she's caught him in the act of doing something she wants him to do). He quickly looks away. "It … it looks good."

His voice croaks and he touches his neck in an awkward gesture. He knows his cheeks are tinting and, dammit, she got him!

"I'm glad you think so!" she replies brightly. "So while Gray-sama was busy staring at clouds I found something else you might like! Tada!"

The last is said in a sing-song voice that has him sweating nervously before he's even turned to look at what she's holding up.

The lingerie sets are more graphic than what he's seen Erza wear at her worst, and it sets off all kinds of ideas in his mind. He shakes his head and starts walking towards the counter so he can pay for the corset and get out of there.

"If you want those you're paying for them yourself."


End file.
